This Research Opportunities for Women Research Planning Grant is in the general area of analytical and surface chemistry and in the subfield of biosensors. During the twelve month period beginning 1 September 1989, Professor McCloskey will draw both upon her expertise in synthetic and physical organic chemistry and upon a new, highly sensitive optical material that has been recently developed at the Georgia Tech Research Institute to carry out preliminary investigations on new sensors for bioanalysis. Specifically, the Principal Investigator will evaluate this new optical material as the basis of an affinity based biosensor. As a test system, biotin will be covalently attached to glass slides which will have been coated with the optical material. Using waveguide techniques, the surface refractive index of this assembly will be measured in the presence and absence of avidin, which specifically binds to biotin. In collaboration with workers at Georgia Tech Research Institute, Professor McCloskey will optimize the conditions for device preparation, the analytical reaction, and analyte detection. These activities should assist the Principal Investigator's change of research field and should contribute to her establishing an independent research program at Agnes Scott College. The research area that will be explored in this project is broadly important to basic science and biotechnology. The results of this work could lead to the development of new, highly sensitive biosensors.
